…as former Senate President donates Skill Acquisition kits, cash gifts to Group
The President of the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association, (IEYDA), Alhaji Abdullahi Babatunde Salaudeen, on Saturday, remarked that the indigenous community youth group would continue to remember the good deeds of the former Senate President Bukola Saraki towards his outstanding human capacity development programs for the younger generations in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He said this during the 10th Empowerment Programme organised by the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association, (IEYDA), where the former Senate President Bukola Saraki was the Special Guest of Honour.
The former Senate President was represented by his top aide, Hon. Otukoko Olayinka Ibrahim.
While recalling the intervention of the President of the 8th Senate, Alhaji Abdullahi listed the several federal employment opportunities across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as facilitated by Senator Saraki to members of the group.
He emphasised that the group served as a developmental vehicle in fostering grassroots and community development via the appointment of another set of fifty-two members of the indigenous youth group as Assistant Legislative Aides (ALAs) during Senator Saraki’s stint as the President of the 8th Senate.
The President of IEYDA said, “We expressed our appreciation concerning the existing good relationship between the Ilorin Emirates Youth Development Association and Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Our appreciation is not just a gesture, it is the fruits of his good deeds that will forever linger in the hearts of our distinguished members and youth conglomerate in the Emirate.
“In the areas of Community Infrastructure and Youth Employment vis-a-vis Empowerment, as well as other areas of Human Capacity Development, today’s 10th Empowerment programme is a testament to Senator Saraki’s unwavering commitment to youth capacity building.
“We recall that during Senator Saraki’s tenure as the President of the 8th Senate, our members totalling fifty-two were appointed as Assistant Legislative Aides (ALAs). Notably in 2017, the office of Senator Bukola Saraki in collaboration with IEYDA constituted a team to conduct a needs assessment on some interventions required in the area of Islamic Education in Ilorin. This effort culminated in the distribution of megaphones and cash gifts, Islamic textbooks and the provision of over 400 benches for some identified Arabic and Islamic institutions across the Ilorin Emirate.
“We can not but appreciate his provision of classrooms, digging of boreholes, and donation of instructional materials to several Arabic and Islamic schools. In the area of Health Insurance, Senator Saraki in 2021 in partnership with IEYDA sponsored Health Insurance Package for one thousand beneficiaries through our distinguished association.”
In his remark, the representative of the former Senate President, Hon. Otukoko Olayinka Ibrahim conveyed his principal’s message, urging members to maintain the existing relationship with his office when necessary.
Otukoko, however, announced the donation of several Skill Acquisition Kits, and Cash gifts to over fifty beneficiaries who were selected by the group.
He, therefore, advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the skill acquisition kits.